On October 21 at the Eastern Long Island Take Steps Walk, we will be celebrating these local residents who will inspire Take Steps participants. Learn about our local heroes.
Stephen Lombardi 2018 Shining Star
Stephen Lombardi was just six years old when he was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. Since then he has found himself on a journey filled with ups and downs and unexpected twists and turns. In third grade the pain was so severe, Stephen needed a feeding tube and eventually surgery. But even with the isolation, embarrassment and pain the disease caused, Stephen persevered, never allowing his illness to deter him from his goals. In ninth grade, Stephen took up cross-country running, a sport that paralleled his personal journey. As he ran, whether alone, or with his teammates, Stephen’s thoughts were companions, reminding him of how far he had come and the importance of continuing. Now about to be a college freshman, Stephen has many teams – family, friends, and doctors, including Dr. Jeffrey Morganstern, our 2018 Medical Honoree – who are always alongside him, and all determined to help him succeed.
Jeffrey Morganstern 2018 Medical Honoree
Dr. Morganstern, Associate Professor of Pediatric Gastroenterology, has been a member of the Stony Brook Children’s faculty since 2006. He is a committed member of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation who believes strongly in the Foundation’s mission and the Take Steps initiative, participating since its inception at Stony Brook in 2012. Dr. Morganstern believes programs like Take Steps help build integral relationships between medical professionals, patients, parents and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) community through shared experiences that cannot be replicated in the clinical office setting. He has seen many IBD patients and families connect with one another through Take Steps creating new friendships that carry forward an optimistic view of the future for those coping with and managing a chronic disease.
Nanci Hammer – 2018 Adult Honored Hero
Nanci Hammer learned she had ulcerative colitis when she was 15. Because of the disease’s difficult symptoms, Nanci missed nine weeks of 10th grade and 16 weeks of 11th grade. In July 2008, at age 17, she made the life-changing decision to have her large intestine removed and, with the creation of a J-Pouch, was finally able to enjoy her high school experience as a healthy senior. A few years later, Nanci started developing abscesses and fistulas and was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Since then she has had more than 10 additional surgeries and is about to undergo another major operation to have a permanent end ileostomy. Yet despite her age and many medical challenges, Nanci has never let Crohn’s disease define her. She has continued her education with honors, went on to receive her master's degree, and now works full-time in a field she loves.
